Friday, June 28, 2013

Country: China, ThaiFormat: movieGenre: romance, youthCast: Mario Maurer, Philip Lau, Ye Qing, Kan Qingzi, Gong Hanlin, Jin ZhuSynopsis: In a small harbor city is a inn called "Heart time inn" where lovers can write love letters to each other and bail them out when they return to the inn years later. A young handsome boxer Martin from Thailand checks in one day. He starts to get along with Xiao Ya, owners niece, and her friends. The past and present make hearts beat faster in "Heart time inn".Rating: 2/5
This is Mario Maurer's Chinese debut movie and as you might guess he was the reason why I wanted to see it - Mario Maurer + love story =high expectations due to "First Love", but it seems that nothing can give me the same feeling. "Love on that day" is full of cliche, predictable and just another youngsters' love story.

Friday, June 21, 2013

Also known as: Koi suru naporitanCountry: JapanFormat: movieGenre: romance, life&death, dramaCast: Aibu Saki, Maki Daisuke, Tsukamoto Takashi, Ichikawa Tomohiro, Ichikawa Kamejiro, Tsubasa Makoto, Kitaoji Kinya, Synopsis: Takeshi is an Italian chef who has been best friends with Ruri since elementary school. Despite the fact that they have feelings for each other, they have never crossed the friendship line. On Ruri's engagement night she calls Takeshi to ask for his final thoughts, but Takeshi hears the message too late. He runs to Ruri just to find out that Ruri has accept the proposal. At the same moment a fateful accident happens which takes away Takeshi's life, but fate gives him another chance giving Takeshi's soul his killer Makihara Yuki's body. Rating: 3/5
Well, I watched it being influenced by my twin-sister. She madly wanted to see it, but in the end the movie turned out be something she was not expecting. As she said: "Come on! Tsukamoto Takashi and Aibu Saki playing best friends in love - you have to see that!".

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Ouran High School Host Club (2011)

Counrty: JapanFormat: drama in 11 episodesGenre: comedy, school, romanceCast: Yamamoto Yusuke, Kawauchi Haruna, Daito Shunsuke, Chiba Yudai, Nakamura Masaya, Takagi Shinpei, Takagi Manpei, Ryusei Ryo, Synopsis: Ouran High School is private school for sons and daughters of wealthy and prestigious families. But Fujioka Haruhi is not like others - she is from commoner family who entered the school with scholarship. One day when she is trying to find a quiet place to learn she stumbles on Ouran High School Host Club. Due to several misunderstandings and shock she accidentally breaks a vase worth 8 million yen. Even though Haruhi is a girl, she looks really boyish and is made to become a member of host club to repay her debt. Rating: 5/5
I was stunned by the fact how similar the live-action was to anime. They had done some changes in details, left out some side-characters and put one or two anime episodes together, but the similarity stayed amazing. Since the cast was first introduced, I never had any doubts in them. I do not know why, but I believed that they will be able to do it well.

Kawaguchi Haruna played the part of Haruhi. I have seen her before in "Yankee-kun to Megane-chan" live-action, so I knew that one way or another she will pull it off, but I was amazed how well she did it. I was a bit concerned about her appearance as she had to be cute girl Haruhi, 1st day catastrophe and ikemen host. I have heard some people say "Why she did not cut her hair? Why is she wearing a wig? etc". ONE DOES NOT SIMPLY MAKE GIRL CUT HER HAIR WHEN SHE DOES NOT WANT IT! Even if she is an actress, because maybe she had some other contracts that did not allow to cut her hair, like other movie, endorsement, modelling what ever, there are so many reasons to give what we might not know. I think that if the job can be done with wig too, then why not? Sure, it does look fake, but at least it is done. I was not bothered by it, because as well we could be angry at actors make-up.

I think the most difficult part to act was Tamaki, because he is kinda baka delusional narcissistic character, but I just say WOW to Yamamoto Yusuke. I feel that he made a great job showing out what kind of character Tamaki is. I literally had a dream about him last night, so that in the morning Tamaki's remarks and "Haruhiiii~!" were echoing in my head. Even though, Yamamoto Yusuke does not have that one ikemen-factor as some say, I find him extremely handsome and when he was making some Tamaki's flirting action into camera.. well, I was close to heart failure. I am happy that he got the part, because he does not have many lead-roles or super funny characters.
I was most amazed by Kyouya's character. He was acted by Daito Shunsuke, even though he has

been some side-characters in dramas I have seen before, it is the first time I am able to actually look at him. In anime and manga, Kyouya was not my favorite character, but I fell for him in drama. Daito Shunsuke plays him so well and he looks extremely hot in every outfit. He basically became my number one in drama, which made me sad that his background story was least mentioned. I also find it unexpected that they added Kyouya's feelings to Haruhi for one episode, because from anime it looked like he had the least interest in Haruhi, but throwing this line in just for one episode seemed a bit weird.

One of the most-known fictional twins are of course Hikaru and Kaoru. I felt pity for them, because I can understand them as I have a twin too, whose appearance is rather similar to mine. Nothing is more disrespectful and hurtful than saying "It does not matter which one is which" to twins, because as it is shown in drama too - twins might look similar and might have similar interests, but they are still two different person. Hikaru and Kaoru both are really devilish and most of the time they have really evil thoughts, but Kaoru is a bit more tolerant. Hikaru tends to over-react or think a bit more about himself and Kaoru than about other people. Takagi twins were amazing in their roles and as much as I have seen/heard they have become many viewers favorites.
The last pair to talk about are Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai. Chiba Yudai plays the part of Honey-senpai. As in anime and manga Honey-senpai is shorter than Haruhi, then it was really difficult for

Chiba Yudai, because he is taller than Kawaguchi Haruna. To make him look a shorter he and Haruhi are rarely beside each other and they used a child-actor to make Honey-senpai able to jump on someone, especially on Haruhi. I do find Chiba Yudai as cute as Honey-senpai from anime/manga and the moment when they show "black Honey" was too much for me to handle. That scene showed perfectly that Chiba Yudai is able to act different roles too - "OHSHC" was pretty much his debut. Mori-senpai is acted by Nakamura Masaya. He was just as Mori-senpai is - quiet, quiet and quiet.

Some say that live-action was a bit too much, over-exaggerated, or some characters are too annoying, but for me "Ouran High School Host Club" is it all - it can be viewed as a parody of otaku-culture and I love parodies. Yeah, for anime-fans anime-characters are cuter to watch, but please understand that there are so many things that you can draw but you cannot make it in real life! That's why I was so happy how they had added anime-characteristics into it. Slap stick comedy or not it was funny for me. I have read how some people hate actor-choices and etc, but you do not have to like everything, as long as there is one person that really likes the outcome then I believe that it is well done. Compared to some other live-action, then I say that it is amazing and at least you cannot get a cancer from it.

Ouran High School Host Club ~The movie~ (2012)

Country: JapanFormat: MovieGenre: comedy, school, romanceCast: Yamamoto Yusuke, Kawaguchi Haruna, Daito Shunsuke, Chiba Yudai, Nakamura Masaya, Takagi Shinpei, Takagi Manpei, Ryusei Ryo, Mariko Shinoda, Nickhun, Ishikawa Tomohiro, Synopsis: The adventures of Ouran High School Host Club continue as they have their annual Ouran High School battle between clubs. The situation gets more difficult when there comes a new transfer student Michelle, who takes a great interest in Tamaki. Rating: 5/5
I watched it at cinema! My country had one anime festival and they showed 2 movies too, but I was unable to watch the other movie.

I was a bit disappointed in the movie, because it was divided into two themes - Michelle's and her brother's relationship and second part was others. I hoped to see more of host club doings, especially TamakixHaruhi things, because in movie Tamaki questions why he has such an urge to kiss Haruhi even though she is his "daughter". Oh, Tamaki and his family ranks. Also under "other things" they will continue to discuss Hikaru's feelings.I have not finished reading manga yet, but as I have heard then Michelle's character and storyline are totally new. Manga contains so many different stories, that's why I do not understand why they had to add new things. Michelle is rather similar to Eclair Tonnerre character in anime/manga. Michelle is played by Shinoda Mariko. An AKB member who actually can act. I really want to see her in "Taisetsu na Koto wa Subete Kimi ga Oshiete Kureta". She has that image that she can act great as portraying bitches, even though I believe that she will be great in cute-girl roles too.
"Ouran High School Host Club Movie" was a Japanese movie-business debut for Nickhun from Korean band 2PM. He plays the part of Lawrence, Michelle's big brother. At first I thought that his English was over-dubbed, but after getting to know Nickhun's past, then "WOWW" I would listen to his English everyday, but only after he has put more emotions into his acting.
Weird English lines and Mariko's accent made movie look a bit ridiculous as Michelle and Lawrence had grown up with English, but Michelle was more fluent in Japanese. Their whole story was a bit out of movie and made it too melodramatic. Other than that it is still full of Ouran wackiness and is super funny. It has been a while since I have heard the whole cinema laughing out loud because of the movie (mostly people just sit and watch without making much noise). I would have wanted to see even more, because it looked just like another episode, which is a bit longer than others.